Safe-deposit vault



(No Model.)

F. FOSTER.'

y SAFE DEPOSIT VAULT. No. 347,267. Figi. Patented Aug. 10, 1886.

NA PETERS; Phaxu-Lnnugnpmr. wnhingibn. uc,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK FOSTER, OF ELIZABETH, NEWT JERSEY.

SAFE-DEPOSIT vApuLT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 347,267, dated August 10, 1886,

l* i Application iiled November 17, nr85. Serial-No. 183,144. (No model.)

posit business in connection withregular bankv Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the iigurcs.

Figure 1 is a cross-section in elevation of my improved safe-'deposit vault, tak en through the line x x, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. y

The invention willtlrst be described in connectiou with the drawings, and then pointed out in `the claims.

The shell A consists of heavy masonry, preferably of circular form, and provided with the doorway A and doors A2. Said shell is provided with lining B, consisting of Iheavy plates of metal adapted to closely t the interior wall of said shell. Said lining hasa doorway, B', and doors B2, that coincide with the doorway A of the shell A. Said doors A2 and B2 are provided with locks, and by which they are secured when closed.

VVithin" the shell A is placed the circular revolving frame C, consisting of outer and inner walls provided with intermediate transV verse partitions, thereby forming compartments a, for holding drawers or boxes. These l compartments are so arranged that they are accessible through both outer and inner walls. Said compartments are provided with doors, fitted with locks and are designated by letters or numbers. An omission of compartments is left at F, and a doorway, D, provided insaid frame, through which the vault E is entered.

' Said doorway is provided with a door, D',

which,when closed, is secured by a lock. This door can be dispensed with, if desired.

Between the outer wall'of frame C and inner wall ofshell A a space, R, is left of sufficient width to permit a person to pass around the frame C for the inspection of the compartments, and thereby avoiding the revolving of the said framc,which might not be convenient, especially if inspection of the interior of vault E were desired at the same time. The passage-way R is closed permanently at one end,` and acceis thereto obtained through the door O, hinged to the lining B at the other end, the lock on door O serving to lock the vault in any position desired. It' preferred, the said passage-way R may be closed at each end by doors hinged to thelining B and properly secured by locks. The center portion of the base of said frame Gis provided with a pivot or screw, c, which rests in the socket c' in the base ot' shell A, and said frame is held centered upon said pivot by the rod d at the top of the shell A, entering the socket c2 in the top of said frame C, thereby providing for the easy revolving of the said frame, so that the compartments ,a may be brought in line with the doorways A and B; also, that the vault-entrance may be moved away from the said doorways in'said shell A and secured, thereby preventing the compartments and vault from being tampered with, the frame C being revolved by hand or any well-known mechanical device.

The frame G is secured in the desired position by a lock on door O, which is operated by hand upon the outside of said frame C,and

may be arranged to be-checked by clock-work placed upon the inside of the vault E. The frame() is also provided with anti-friction rollers T, and upon which said frame rests.

If it is desired to economize in room and expense, the passage-way may be dispensed with and the shell A reduced in diameter,

,thereby bringing the walls ofthe shell A and frame C nearly together, as shown by the dotted lines around the outer wall of said frame in Fig. 2, leaving sufficient room for the frame to clear the inner wall of the shell A.

The outer wall of framefC for a convenient distance from the opening D is left solid and is re-enforced with heavy plates of metal, as shown at H, thereby alfording additional protection to the rear of compartments a, which open into the vault E. v

The solid portion of the frame C, when moved opposite the doorways B and A in the shell A,

IOO

serves to close up said doorways, thereby preventing communication with the vault E or compartments a.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to construct the shell A in two parts, as A B, for it is not essential to the carrying out of my invention that there should be any masonry surrounding` the lining B, as at A, as the lining B can serve as the outside wall wherever the space will not admit ofthe masonry.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The shell A, provided with the lining B, and frame C, provided with the vault E and compartments a and passageway B, one series of said compartments opening outwardly into passage-way B and accessible at such point, and the other series of compartments opening inwardly into the vault E and accessible through said vault, the frame C being adapted lo be revolved in said shell A, substantially as described.

2. rlhe shell A, provided with the lining B, and frame C, provided with the vault E and compartments a, one series of said compartments opening outwardly and accessible through the doorway B', and the other series of compartments opening inwardly into the vault E and accessible through said vault, the frame C being adapted to be revolved in said shell A, substantially as described.

3. The frame C, provided with the vault E and compartments a, re-enforced section H, and shell A, substantially as for the purpose described.

4. The wall B and frame C, provided with the vault E and compartments a, one series of said compartments opening outwardly and accessible through the doorway B, and the otherseries ofcompartments openi ng inwardly into vault E and accessible through said vault, the frame C being adapted to be revolved, substantially as described.

FREDERICK FOSTER.

NVitnesses:

C. W. LANGFORD, F. S. WELLS. 

